Farmer earns Rs. seven Mn from half acre chilli cultivation

Using the high density cropping system introduced by the Agriculture Ministry, resident of Sivalakulama, Puliyankulama in Anuradhapura district, H. M. A. Peiris (Bandula) farmer has claimed that he has earned a high income by cultivating chilli, Agriculture and Plantation Industry Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said.

Under the Agriculture Sector Modernization Project implemented by the Agriculture Ministry, this farmer has grown chillies on half an acre under the high density cultivation method and the amount earned is Rs.70 lakhs.

Under the traditional method, the amount of chili plants that can be grown in half an acre is about 6,000 plants. But the amount of chili plants that can be grown under this high density cultivation method is 13,000 plants. Therefore, under this new system, it is possible to increase the yield several times.

In this new cultivation method, minimum amount of fertilizer and minimum amount of water is used, minimum amount of insecticides and herbicides are used, and there is no need to incur special expenses for weed control, due to the fact that the soil water is not evaporated due to the application of a polythene cover on the soil layer, this is beneficial to the farmer in all respects. The new cultivation system is advantageous.

Previously, a farmer in Jaffna had earned the highest income by growing chillies on half an acre. He had earned Rs. 50 lakhs by growing chillies on half an acre. That record was then broken by a young farmer from Anuradhapura itself. That young farmer had also earned Rs. 60 lakhs by growing chillies on half an acre.

So far, a farmer named Sivalakulama Bandula has recorded the highest income by cultivating half an acre of chillies. His income in six months is Rs. seven million.

They have grown the two latest chili varieties MICH-1 and MICH-2 introduced by the Mahailuppallama Agricultural Research Institute and has been able to get the highest yield.

In an inquiry made to the farmer in this regard, he said that despite having obtained a harvest of Rs. 79 lakhs, the harvest of his chili cultivation is not yet finished.

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